Oscillator for electric fans



M. M. GLASSER.

OSCILLATOR FOR ELECTRIC FANS.

APPLICATIQN HLED OCT. 11, 1919.

Patented Sept. 28, 1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

IN YEN TOR lfll'lassez' ATTORNEYS M. M. GLASSER.

OSCILLATOR FOR ELECTRIC FANS.

APPUCAHON FILED OCT. ll, I919.

Patented Sept. 28, 1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2v A TTORNEYS MW. m8 m M. M. GLASSER.

OSCILLATUR FOR ELECTRIC FANS.

APFLECATHJN F ILED OCT. II l9l9.

Patented Sept. 28, 1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

wmv TOR HHG Z0886 z' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OSCILLATOR FOB ELECTRIC FANS.

Application filed October 11, 1919.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, MAURICE M. GLAssnR, acitizen of the Unitedstates, and a resident of Charleston, in the countyof Charleston and State of South Carolina, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Oscillators for Electric Fans, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention is an improvement in oscillators for electric fans, and hasfor its ob ject to provide mechanism of the character specified for useespecially in connection with ceiling fans, having mechanism foroscillating the motor casing to cause the blast from the fan to swingthrough a fixed are for continuously changing the direction of this arc,thus greatly broadening the scope of the fan.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front view of a fan provided with the improved oscillator;

Fig. 2 is a view at right angles to Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a. section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1; a

Fig. 4 is a vertical section through the fan mounting;

Fig. 5 is a similar view of the connection between the fan mounting andthe oscillator.

The present embodiment of the invention is shown in connection with afan composed of a suitable motor arranged within the easing 1, the fan 2being mounted upon the motor shaft 3. This motor casing 1 has oppositelyextending journal pins 4, which are journaled in bearings 5 in the arm 6of a yoke whose body 7 has at its center an upstandingsleeve 8. Withinthis sleeve there is journaled the lower end of a hollow post 10 whichhas a base 11 ca able of being secured to the ceiling or 0t er fixedsupport.

As shown more particularly in Fig. 4 the post 10 is annularly groovedintermediate its ends as shown at 12, and a ball bearing 13 is arrangedbetween the shoulder formed at the lower end of the groove and a washer14 which is connected to theupper end of the sleeve 8 by screws 15 orthe like. The sleeve 8 is rotatable on the hollow post 10, and the yokeand sleeve are supported by the 0st, by means of the ball bearing 13.

Tiie conductors 16 and 17 which carry the current to the motor "in thecase 1 are connected with rings 18 and 19, respectively, which are heldon the lower end of the 0st, the post having openings, as shown in 1g.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 28, 1920.

Serial No. 329,960.

4, through which the conductors extend to their connection with therings, it bein understood that the said rings are insulated from thepost and from each other.

Brushes 20 are secured to the sleeve 8 at opposite sides thereof bymeans of binding posts 21, and conductors 22 and 23 lead from thebinding posts to the connections of the motor. The brushes, during therotation of the yoke. move in contact with the rings 18 and 19,completing the circuit whatever the movement of the yoke 678.

In order to oscillate the motor casing on the journal pins 4' the upperend of the motor shaft 3 extends into an auxiliary casing 25 at the topof the motor casing 1. Within this casing the shaft has a worm 26 whichactuates a worm gear 27 upon a horizontal shaft 28 journaled in theauxiliary casing and in an extension 29 from the said auxiliary casing.The outer end of this shaft carries a disk 30 and a link 31 connectsthis disk with a fixed disk 32 supported by the adjacent arm of the yoke67, the link being connected eccentrically to both disks. Thearrangement is suc that when the fan is rotating the shaft 2 will bedriven and because the disk 32 is fixed the motor casing and the fanwill be oscillated through an arc of approximately 30. With thisarrangement the blast from the fan would sweep across the floor, forinstance, in a straight line in one direction. However, I providemechanism for continiilous-ly changing the direction of this line sothat the blast from the fan will sweep over many lines, the saidmechanism continuously rotating the yoke 7 on the hollow ost 10 in onedirection.

The said mec anism comprises a ratchet wheel 38 rigid with the lower endof the hollow post 10, and a pawl 34 pivoted on an arm 35 extendingradially from the lower end of the hollow post. The arm is looselyjournaled on the post to swing with respect thereto, and the pawl isnormally pressed into engagement with the, ratchet wheel by a spring 36.This arm 35 also carries a depending pin 37 which fits between the armsof a fork 38 on the upper end of an arm 39 extending radially upwardfrom one of the journal pins 4 and rigid with the motor casing. Thearrangement is such that when the motor casing oscillates the arms ofthe fork will move the pin in opposite directions. In one direction thepawl 34. will slip idly over the teeth of the ratchet Wheel, while inthe other direction the pawl will engage the ratchet teeth. turning theratchet wheel and imparting intermittent movement in the same directionto the yoke ti -7.

In operation. as the fan rotates. the motor casing will be oscillated.swinging on the journal pins l. that is. swinging on a horizontal axiswhen the fan is mounted on the ceiling. At each complete swing oroscillation of the motor casing the ratchet wheel 33 is moved through apredetermined are. and since it is rigid with the yoke (i-l the yokewill be turned. so that each sweep or oscillation of the fan will have adiffer ent angle. Thus the sweeps or oscillations of the fan will rotateabout a fixed center. namely. the axis of the post 10.

I claim:

1. In an electric fan. the combination with the motor casing. of a yokecomprising a body and arms having bearings. the motor casing havingjournal pins journaled in the bearings. a connection between the tan andthe yoke for oscillating the motor casing on the journal pins when thetan is rotated. a sleeve extending transversely of the body of the yokeat the centerthereof. a post for supporting the fan on which the sleeveis journaled. a ratchet wheel secured to the lower end of the post. anarm pivoted to the post below the ratchet wheel. a pawl car ried by thearm and engaging the wheel. said arm having a depending pin. and a forkcarried by the motor casing. the pin engaging between the arms of thefork.

2. In an electric fan. the combination with the motor casing. of a yokecom n'ising a body and arms having bearings. the motor casing havingjournal pins journaled in the bearings, a connection between the fan andthe yoke for oscillating the motor casing on the journal pins when thefan is rotated. a sleeve extending transversely of the body of the yokeat the center thereof. a post for supporting the fan on which the sleeveis journaled, a ratchet wheel secured to the lower end of the post. andmeans controlled by the oscillation of the motor casing forintermittently advancing the yoke in the same direction.

3. In an electric, fan. the combination with the motor casing. of a yokecomprising a body and arms having bearings. the motor casing havingjournal pins journaled in the bearings, a connection between the fan andthe yoke for oscillating the motor casing on the journal pins when thefan is rotated. a support for the fan with which the body of the yoke isrotatably connected to rotate on an axis at right angles to the axis ofoscillation of the motor casing, means controlled by the oscillation ofthe motor casing for intermittently rotating the yoke on its sup port,said means comprising a ratchet wheel supported by the fan support. anarm pivoted at the axis of the ratchet wheel and carrying a pawlengaging the wheel. the motor casing carrying a fork and the arm havinga pin engaging between the arms of the fork.

4. In an electric fan. the combination with the motor casing. of a yokecomprising a body and arms having bearings. the motor casing havingjournal pins journalcd in. the bearings. a connection between the tanand the yoke for oscillating the motor casing on the journal pins whenthe tan is rotated. a support for the fan with which the body oi" theyoke is rotatably connected to rotate on an axis at right angles to theaxis of the oscillation of the motor casing. and means controlled by theoscillation of the motor casing for intcrmittcntl rotating th yoke onits support.

5. In an electric fan. a yoke comprisiim a body mounted to rotate at itscenter on an axis per])endicular to the body. and arms. the motor casingof the fan being journalcd between the arms to swing on an axis at rightangles to that of the yoke's rotation. means controlled by the rotationof the fan for oscillating the motor casing with respect to the yoke.and means controlled by the os cillation of the motor casing forintermit tently rotating the yoke on its axis in the same direction.

6. In an electric tan, a yoke for support ing the motor casing of thefan. a support for the yoke with which the yoke is con nected to rotateon an axis coinciding with the axis of rotation of the fan. a connectionbetween the yoke and the motor casing for oscillating the casing on theyoke when the fan is turning. a connection between the motor casing andthe yoke for intermittently rotating the yoke on the support when themotor casing is oscillated. said support having rings of conductingmaterial connected with the terminals of the circuit. for the fan. andbrushes connected with the terminals of the motor and engaging therings.

7. In an electric fan, a yoke comprising a body and arms. the yoke beingmounted to rotate at its center on an axis perpendicular to the body.the fan having a motor casing journalcd between the arms of the yoke toswing on an axis at right angles to that of the yokes rotation. andmeans controlled by the oscillation of the motor casing forintermittently moving the yoke on its axis.

MAURICE M. GLASSER.

